Galway councillor becomes Renua’s first defection

Renua has suffered its first defection with a councillor who joined just two months ago deciding to leave because of what he says is the party’s U-turn on water charges.

James Charity, who was elected as an independent to Galway County Council last year, joined Lucinda Creighton’s party in May.

He was being lined up to run in the Galway West constituency but will now revert to running as an Independent.

Cllr Charity, who polled over 1,400 votes in the Athenry-Oranmore ward last year, said he could no longer remain in the party because of several issues, the primary one of which was Renua’s stance on water charges.

He said the party adopted a “complete U-turn” on the charges in an effort to attack the Social Democrats party.

“This rush to criticise a new party... is in stark contrast to the complaints which Renua first had regarding the establishment parties’ attitude to themselves and shows a reversion to the type of politics which has persisted in this country for too long.”

He also accused the party of changing its stance on water charges.

“Renua’s position on water charges was always very clear to me prior to joining, with our stated policy being ‘we fundamentally disagree with how water charges have been introduced and will continue to do so until Irish Water has been radically reformed and public waste eliminated’.

“Based on this, it was therefore clear to me that the party was opposed to the introduction and methodology of water charges and would continue to be opposed to any form of direct water charging until the methodology of investing in our water infrastructure could be reviewed after wholescale reform of service delivery.”

He said he was surprised then to see comments from party leader Ms Creighton stating it was understandable that water services would have to be paid for.

“In my view, this was advocating a pro-water charges position on the one hand, and a criticism of the corporate entity on the other, which was not in keeping with the party’s adopted position. After raising my concerns regarding these comments with the party leader, I was informed that the party’s disagreement with the manner in which water charges have been introduced is solely confined to the establishment of Irish Water and the party is not opposed to water charges. Furthermore, it was indicated that a pro-charges stance on water would be adopted. I cannot support this position as it fundamentally fails to appreciate that water services have always been paid for in this country via indirect taxation.”